FILE – In this June 24, 2014 file photo, Uruguay’s Luis Suarez reacts on the pitch during the group D World Cup soccer match between Italy and Uruguay at the Arena das Dunas in Natal, Brazil. On Thursday, June 26, 2014, FIFA banned Suarez for 9 games and 4 months for biting his opponent at the World Cup.

RIO DE JANEIRO — The players’ union and soccer’s governing body agree on one thing in the wake of the heavy ban imposed on Luis Suarez for his third biting incident: The Uruguay and Liverpool striker needs help.

“I think he should find a way to stop doing it — he should go through a treatment,” FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Friday at Maracana Stadium, where Uruguay plays Colombia in a second-round match Saturday.

The players union, FIFPro, came to the same conclusion but from a more sympathetic approach.

FIFPro said the FIFA disciplinary panel’s ban for Suarez of nine Uruguay matches and four months from all soccer “infringes his right to work” and doesn’t offer him the treatment he needs.

“Luis Suarez should receive all the support he needs to deal with any off-field issues he may be experiencing at this time,” the union said, adding that “treatment must be a part of any sanction.”

From Italy, Suarez also received support from his latest victim, Giorgio Chiellini, who described the sanction as excessive.

On his website, Chiellini wrote: “At the moment, my only thoughts are with Luis and his family because they are faced with a very difficult period. … I think what (FIFA officials) have proposed is very excessive.”

It was a view shared by Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez, who quit his role in FIFA’s strategic committee in protest of the length of the ban.

Tabarez blamed English-speaking media for creating pressure on the FIFA disciplinary panel to punish Suarez and said that FIFA seems to have “values very different from those that I have.”

Altidore’s status for Belgium unclear

SÃO PAULO — Forward Jozy Altidore’s status for Tuesday’s match against Belgium remains unclear, though he is making positive progress since straining his left hamstring in the first half of the Americans’ opening win against Ghana on June 16.

“We are very optimistic. Every day is a big step forward with Jozy,” coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “It’s 11 days now and it’s looking better every day, so we are optimistic we have him being a part of the Belgium game.”

U.S. midfielder Jermaine Jones has a broken nose after colliding with teammate Alejandro Bedoya during Thursday’s game against Germany but remains available to play Tuesday in Salvador, Brazil.

• The United States’ 1-0 loss to Germany was the second-highest rated men’s World Cup match on ESPN’s networks despite the 10 a.m. MDT kickoff.

The game received a 6.7 rating on ESPN and was seen by 10.77 million viewers, ESPN said. The game trailed only last weekend’s 2-2 draw between the U.S. and Portugal, which received a 9.6 rating and was seen by 18.22 million viewers on ESPN and 24.7 million overall, including Spanish-language coverage on Univision.

The Americans’ opening 2-1 victory over Ghana on June 16 got a 6.3 rating and 11.09 million viewers. The first two games started at 4 p.m. MDT.

Colorado Rapids Gameday

VANCOUVER AT COLORADO 7 p.m. Saturday, ALT; 94.1 FM

Spotlight on Deshorn Brown: The Rapids striker has been on a roll, scoring three goals in as many games before the MLS hiatus for World Cup group play. Then, in a U.S. Open Cup match during the break, he scored his first professional hat trick against Orlando City FC. He is tied with Vicente Sanchez for the team lead in scoring (in MLS games) with five goals.

NOTEBOOK

Rapids: This is Colorado’s first MLS game since a 3-2 loss at FC Dallas on June 7 ended the club’s three-game unbeaten streak. The Rapids (6-5-4) won at Vancouver on April 5, aided by a Vancouver ejection. Whitecaps midfielder Matias Laba was sent off in the 77th minute with his team leading 1-0. Jose Mari scored twice for the Rapids over the next four minutes.

Whitecaps: Vancouver (5-2-7) will be playing its second game back since the World Cup hiatus, having tied Montreal 0-0 at home Wednesday. The Whitecaps are unbeaten in their past eight games.

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